Butcher s block



F. J. SCHMITT.

BUTCHERS BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 1919.

1 ,323,9 1 5 Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. J. SCHMITT.

B.UTCHERS BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1919.

1,823,915. Patented DEG. 2,1919.

"m" 1 jj i Eng 5 1 j 7/: i: f2: K i ii ,l 20 22 3 12 S f, 1,; I: Z

Y r mns.

rsnnnnroir J. scrzrrrrrr, for PETOSKEY, MICHIGAN.

. Boronnns BLOCK.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK J tary, durable and efiicient butchers 101001;. intended to be used in the cutting up of meat or other food or less moisture.

. Butchers blocks are I contract owing to changes in the temperature and to the absorption of more or, less products containing more 7 moisture from the articleror articles being cut thereon, and such blocks if made'of a solid piece of wood mam to crack and permit the flow into the cracks of organic matter which is apt to decompose and become extremely offensive to the smell and utterly insanitary. Moreover, the expansion of such blocks is apt to cause injury to th containing frameand to create cracks or V crevices which are objectionable for the reasons hereinbefore stated,

According to my present invention 1 pro-- vide a composite or built-upblo'ck made of aseries of wooden segments securely fastened together so as to form a substantially homogeneous mass, and this block is so mounted in the frame that it may expand and contract horizontally in all directions, without injury to, the main frame. l

I also provide a special arrangement for the convenient handling of the tools. required in the. business in which the block is used The outer-parts ofthe main framework are also provided withsuit'able enameled plates which may be readily cleaned and are wholly sanitary.

I also provide adisappearing drawer conveniently mounted in the space inside the main frame and beneath the composite block, in which may be kept the additional knives or other tools or implements needed in the business for which the block is intended. t

r spent-stemmin l ateint; Application filed March 10', 1919. Serial No. 281,592.

being shown I p tion. apt to expand or .of a' portion of'the main frame, carrying the Patented Dec.-2, 1919.

.My invention? will be mo-re fully understood after reference to the accon'ipanymg drawings, in whichsimi'lar parts are indicated by llke reference numerals through- 1 out the several views, and 111 wli1cl'1:- I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus, showingthe disappearing drawer in the lower or ope'n posltion.

Flg. shows a vertlcal section along the line "3 3 ofFig/l, and looking in the direction of the arrows. V I

Fig. 3 shows a section along the brokenline 3'3, ofFig. 2, and looking down.

Fig. t shows a section throughthe main frame along the line of .Fig 2, and looking down," the disappearing drawer in the normal or hidden posi- Fig. 5 shows asection on a larger scale knife rail, and the-adjacent portion of the block showingthe clearance space to allow for expansion or contraction. I

Figs. Band '7 are similar views to Fig. 5, but show modifications in the construction 1 or the mainframe and the means of'securmg the enameled platesthereto.

Fig. 8is a plan view'on a largerscale of a corner of the knife frail, parts being broken away; and v I Fig. 9 is a similar view toFig. 8, but

shows a modification. 1

The main frame comprises the side boards 1 mounted on the supporting legs/2 and covered on the outside with the, enameled plates 3, having the corners" secured tegether bythe plates 4,"which may be enameled, or coated with,non corrosive metal, suchasnickeh Thls main frame 1s prov ded with cleats which the bottom board .6 is secured, :and'. on which board the mam block 7 is. mounted and to which 1t may be secured in any convenient wayfas by see Fig.2. This bottom piece 6 and the side boards 1 form a rectangular box open at the top the screwsv 8,

7 is made up of a series of segments 9, secured together by diagonal dowel pinslO, split at the ends 11, and provided with wedgeslQ so that these dowel pins firmly hold the blocks in place. These dowel pins are preferably of the same material as the in which the block 7 loosely fits. This block d blocks-themselves so that they will expand" and contract with the blocks, and with the samecoefiicient of expansion. 7

any. convenient way, either directly as shown-in Figs. 6 7, or upon an; interposed block15, asshown in Fig. and these knife rails arerpreferably curved in their center, as at 14k, and are held against warping on one edge by the cleats16 and on the other. edge by. the splin plate 17. These knife rails form a convenient shelf .sur-.

rounding the main'block and into which the knives of the operator, or little pieces of meat, bones, or other material may be con- 7 veniently placed.

1 Theknlfe rails are secured together at] theirupper corners in any convenient way,

as by means of the splin pins 18, see Figs. 3 and 8, or the dowel pins'l9, see Fig. 9.

The knife rails form a. complete rectangle I surrounding the lolock and projecting partly into the recess 13in said block,and may be I preferably arranged so as to be detachably mounted on the top ,of; the Sideboards 1 of the main frame, as shown inFigs. 5 to 7.

. In order to provide'a disappearing drawer in the empty space. beneath -thebottom I drawer, but when this springis drawn for-.

board 6, I provide aninner'fram'e 20 having side pieces 21 provided with grooves. 22, into which-.proj ectpins 23 from the sides of the drawer 24 near ,thetop and rearjend thereof. In front "of the drawer and fas tened to the frame 20, I provide a spring 25 having an engaging shoulder 26, which normally; supports the front end of the ward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig 2 thefront end of the drawer will tip downward and the drawer may be moved forward and swung downward to the position indicated in dotted lines 'in Fig. 2.

andin'full lines in Fig 1. 7

As a convenient attachment to the v construction described, I provide a detachable tool 'holder shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, in which represents a block" with a slot 31 adapted to hold the butchers cleaver. 32

represents vertical board which carries near its ends brackets 33 to support the saw, and 34; indicates a rail withholes 35 Y therethrough to permit the insertion of the knives, skewers, steel saws or other implements used by" the operator. .This tool holde'ris adapted to rest on the kniferail and may be applied to any side of the block that may be most convenient, but is preferably on th frontofthe drawer 24.5

fThe'ent-ir e exterior portion ofthefblocki's {intended tolbe smooth and' polished, with- "out any cracks or crevices into which any insanitary matter, may accumulate.

- The whole apparatus is so arrangedthat it may beat all times. kept clean and same :tary, which is especiallyessential in an zip-- .paratus of the character described. f

e same side of the blockwith. the

1' It will be seen that the knife rails sur i round the mainblock and serve to obstruct the dropping of. any particles of material, whether solid or liquid, from the top and sides of the block down into the space between-the. block and the frameand thus prevent any accumulation Ofcrganicf matter-fin the, space between the block and the main. frame which would tend-to putrefy insaid space if allowed tolaccumulate thereor dropping on the floor.

It WlnfbB,-Ob VlOl1S that varlous the-herein described'construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts detailsfin might be used-without departing from the I spirit of my invention, and I do not mean 1 to. limit the invention t'o such details eXcept as particularly' pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention what 7 I 1. A butchers" block; comprising a rectangular main frame, withja bottom piece forming a rectangular'box, legs supporting said main frame,fa; built-up block loosely mounted in saidbox' and provided with a horizontal groove] on each side thereof, and

a knife rail loosely surrounding' said block and projecting into said groove, substan tially as described.

. 2. A bi ltchers block comprising a lag;-

tangular main frame, with a bottom piecev forming a rectangular box, legs supporting I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pat- 'e'nt of the United States, is V said main fram eaaibuilt-up block loosely mounted in {said box and .provided with'a I 3 horizontal groove on each side thereof, and a. knlfe rail grooved on its upper face and.

loosely surrounding said block and projectdetachably mounted on said substantially as described FREDERICK J. so-HM TT V x I 7 mg into saidgroove, saidjknife rail being mam frame, 

